Cow's milk is rich source of proteins and calcium. Calcium prevents the bone disease rickets. Proteins and calcium are important for good health. As cow's milk contains vitamin A and B12, thiamine, riboflavin and minerals like calcium, sodium and potassium, it is good health drink.

The products made out of cow' milk like yoghurt, cheese, butter, ghee etc are not only rich in calcium but also improve immune system. Medically it has been observed that more frequent bone fractures occur in the persons consuming buffalo milk as compared to the person consuming cow milk. The reason is obvious, most important constituent in bone formation i.e. calcium is found higher in cow milk than in the milk of any other milking animal. Also, it is medically proved that Tuberculosis cavities get healed up miraculously faster by usage of cow milk compared to any other animal’s milk.

The Real Benefits:

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  The compounds found in organic milk have a range of nutritional benefits, including cancer and disease prevention. The compound alpha- tocopherol is part of the vitamin E family. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties which mean that it can prevent damage by free radicals that cause cancer.

  
  

  Studies have shown that dietary intake of alpha- tocopherol “may be protective against cardiovascular disease, mutagenic alteration and cancer” (Bergamo et al., 2003). According to the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (2003), vitamin E is thought to play a role in the prevention of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis), relieve menopausal symptoms and reduce chronic skin damage. Vitamin E is known to prolong the shelf life of milk since it acts as an antioxidant (Nielsen et al., 2004). Other sources of vitamin E are plants and plant oils which tend to contain higher concentrations than animal tissues.

  
  

  Beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthine are members of the carotenoid family which are characterized by their antioxidant properties and appear to have cancer preventative properties (Van Poppel, 1993 cited in Bergamo et al., 2003). Beta carotene is the compound that gives carrots their orange colour. It is important because is a precursor to vitamin A which means that it is converted by the body into the vitamin.

  
  

  Studies in humans have shown that a high intake of beta-carotene in the diet is associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease and cancer. However, it is unknown whether this is due to the properties of beta-carotene itself or other diet and lifestyle factors (Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals, 2003).

  
  

  A Food Standards Agency study found that women with medium or high carotene intakes during childhood were less at risk of psychiatric disorder between the ages of 15-32 than those with lower intakes (Food Standards Agency, 2005). Other sources of beta carotene include green leafy vegetables and yellow fruits.



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  Omega-3 is a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids which are commonly found in milk, oily fish and some vegetables. Omega-3 and omega-6 are considered ‘essential’ to health because the human body cannot produce them and they must be obtained through a good diet (Robertson and Fanning, 2004).

  
  

  It is important that there is an adequate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet, the latter of which is mainly found in plant oils. However, most people are lacking in omega-3 and get too much omega-6. The balance in the average UK diet is around 1:10, while a ratio of 1:3 is recommended with a higher proportion of omega-3 (Simopolous, 2002 cited in Bergamo et al., 2003).

  
  

  There are two main groups of omega-3 which have different nutritional properties – short-chain omega-3 which are mainly found in milk and plants and long-chain omega-3 which are mainly found in oily fish like mackerel, salmon and herring. Milk can provide nutritionally important short-chain omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid or ALA) but relatively little long chain omega-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)). The latter are known to help maintain heart health as well as improving brain and vision development in foetuses and infants.

  
  

  Some studies have shown that organic milk contains higher levels of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids (ALA). Research has also identified a higher content of the omega-6 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and linoleic acid, as well as a more beneficial (lower) ratio of omega-3, omega-6 in organic milk compared to non-organic milk.

  
  

  The nutritional benefits of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids are less well understood than for long-chain omega-3. The Soil Association recommends that further research is needed to further understand the health impacts of the short-chain omega-3. The short-chain omega-3 are converted to long-chain omega-3 in humans, but this conversion is generally inefficient and occurs more in women, particularly younger women (Burdge and Calder, 2005). The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) intends to commission a review of the health benefits of short-chain omega-3s and their conversion to the long-chain form in humans.



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  Cow’s milk is termed as the best food supplement second only to mother’s milk. Cow’s milk is natural and inexpensive formula for ensuring a healthy life. Medically it is proven that cow’s milk helps in making our bones stronger, enhancing immunity resulting in healthy heart, serve as an important source for fighting for cancer, enhances beauty. Are we aware that if cow’s milk if drunk immediately as it taken out without exposing it for long to the oxygen in atmosphere, it acts as an energetic tonic.

  
  

  Although allergic reactions can occur to virtually any food, research studies on food allergy consistently report more problems with some foods than with others. Common symptoms associated with an allergic reaction to food include: chronic gastrointestinal disturbances; frequent infections, e.g. ear infections, bladder infections, bed-wetting; asthma, sinusitis; eczema, skin rash, acne, hives; bursitis, joint pain; fatigue, headache, migraine; hyperactivity, depression, insomnia.

  
  

  Individuals who suspect food allergy to be an underlying factor in their health problems may want to avoid commonly allergenic foods. Cow's dairy products are one of the foods most commonly associated with allergic reactions. Other foods commonly associated with allergic reactions include: beef, wheat, eggs, soybeans, oranges, corn, pork, chicken, peanuts, yeast, strawberry, tomato, and spinach. These foods do not need to be eaten in their pure, isolated form in order to trigger an adverse reaction. For example, yogurt is also a common allergenic food, even though it has been processed and fermented in order to make the yogurt. Ice cream made from cow cream would be an equally good example. Lactose, or dairy sugar, forms about 4.7% of the solids. Many individuals lack the enzyme, lactase, which is needed to digest lactose. For this reason, food intolerances to dairy products are among the most common food intolerances seen by healthcare practitioners.

  
  

  Cows may be treated with a compound called recombinant bovine growth hormone rBGH. Canada has banned the use of this hormone in cows, based on research from Canadian scientists. Their report on rBGH noted that cows injected with the growth hormone reportedly have a 25 percent increase in risk of mastitis, an 18 percent increase in the risk of infertility and a 50 percent increase in the risk of lameness. Another independent Canadian scientific committee found there was no direct risk to human health. Several U.S. groups have opposed the use of the hormone. One concern is that cows with mastitis are treated with antibiotics. The best way to ensure that you buy dairy that has not been treated with rBGH is to buy organic dairy products.



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  • Cow's milk is a very good source of iodine, which as a component of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), is essential to human life.
  • The thyroid gland adds iodine to the amino acid tyrosine to create these hormones. Without sufficient iodine, your body cannot synthesize them. Because these thyroid hormones regulate metabolism in every cell of the body and play a role in virtually all physiological functions, an iodine deficiency can have a devastating impact on your health and well-being.
  • A common sign of thyroid deficiency is an enlarged thyroid gland, commonly called a goiter. Goiters are estimated to affect 200 million people worldwide, and in all but 4% of these cases, the cause is iodine deficiency. One cup of dairy contains 39% of the daily value for iodine.


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  • Cow's milk is a good source of biotin, a B-vitamin involved in the metabolism of both sugar and fat, so drinking it can help promote energy production, skin health and nervous system function.
  • In sugar metabolism, biotin helps move sugar from its initial stages of processing on to its conversion into usable chemical energy. For this reason, muscle cramps and pains related to physical exertion, which can be the result of the body's inability to use sugar efficiently as fuel, may signal a biotin deficiency.
  • Many of the classic biotin deficiency symptoms involve skin-related problems, and the role of biotin in fat synthesis is often cited as a reason for this biotin-skin link. Biotin is required for the function of an enzyme in the body called acetyl Co-A carboxylase, which puts together the building blocks for the production of fat in the body. In infants, the most common biotin-deficiency symptom is cradle cap. In adults, the equivalent skin condition is called seborrheic dermatitis.
  • Glucose and fat are used for energy within the nervous system, biotin also functions as a supportive vitamin in this area. Numerous nerve-related symptoms have been linked to biotin deficiency including lack of muscle coordination (ataxia), and lack of good muscle tone (hypotonia). A cup of cow's milk provides 16.3% of the daily value for biotin.


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  Vitamin A is critically importance for the health of epithelial and mucosal tissues, the body's first line of defense against invading organisms and toxins. The epithelium is a layer of cells forming the epidermis of the skin and the surface layer of mucous and serous membranes. All epithelial surfaces including the skin, vaginal epithelium, and gastrointestinal tract rely upon vitamin A. When vitamin A status is inadequate, keratin is secreted in epithelial tissues, transforming them from their normally pliable, moist condition into stiff dry tissue that is unable to carry out its normal functions, and leading to breaches in epithelial integrity that significantly increase susceptibility to the development of allergy and infection.

  
  

  So, when our vitamin A levels are low, we are much more susceptible to infections such as recurrent ear infections or frequent colds, or we may wind up with an immune system that is overactive, leading to autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, low vitamin A levels in Third World countries are blamed for the huge amounts of complications and deaths due to childhood diseases like measles. When children in these areas are given adequate amounts of vitamin A, the number of deaths from these illnesses drops dramatically, just one demonstration of the importance of vitamin A for strong immune function. Drink a cup of dairy, and you will receive 12.5% of the daily value for vitamin A.



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  An important electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart, potassium is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Cow's milk can promote your cardiovascular health by being a good source of not only potassium, but magnesium, too. A one cup serving provides 10.8% of the daily value for potassium along with 10.4% of the daily value for magnesium.

  
  

  Magnesium helps regulate nerve and muscle tone by balancing the action of calcium. In many nerve cells, magnesium serves as Nature's own calcium channel blocker, preventing calcium from rushing into the nerve cell and activating the nerve. By blocking calcium's entry, magnesium keeps our nerves (and the blood vessels and muscles they enervate) relaxed. If our diet provides us with too little magnesium, however, calcium can gain free entry, and the nerve cell can become over activated, sending too many messages and causing excessive contraction. Insufficient magnesium can thus contribute to high blood pressure, muscle spasms (including spasms of the heart muscle or the spasms of the airways symptomatic of asthma), and migraine headaches, as well as muscle cramps, tension, soreness and fatigue.

  
  

  In addition, magnesium, as well as calcium, is necessary for healthy bones. About two-thirds of the magnesium in the human body is found in our bones. Some helps give bones their physical structure, while the rest is found on the surface of the bone where it is stored for the body to draw upon as needed.



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  Cow's milk is also a good source of the trace mineral, selenium. Selenium is of fundamental importance to human health. It is an essential component of several major metabolic pathways, including thyroid hormone metabolism, antioxidant defense systems, and immune function. Accumulated evidence from prospective studies, intervention trials and studies on animal models of cancer have suggested a strong inverse correlation between selenium intake and cancer incidence.

  
  

  Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the cancer-preventive activities of selenium. Selenium has been shown to induce DNA repair and synthesis in damaged cells, to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, and to induce their apoptosis, the self-destruct sequence the body uses to eliminate worn out or abnormal cells. In addition, selenium is incorporated at the active site of many proteins, including glutathione peroxides, which may be the most important for cancer protection. One of the body's most powerful antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxides is used in the liver to detoxify a wide range of potentially harmful molecules. When levels of glutathione peroxides are too low, these toxic molecules are not disarmed and wreak havoc on any cells with which they come in contact, damaging their cellular DNA and promoting the development of cancer cells. One cup of cow's milk supplies 9.8% of the daily value for selenium.



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  Dairy is a good source of thiamin, providing 9.1% of the daily value for this nutrient in a cup. Thiamin is an integral participant in enzymatic reactions central to energy production and is also critical for brain cell/cognitive function. This is because thiamin is needed for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for memory, whose lack has been found to be a significant contributing factor in age-related impairment in mental function (senility) and Alzheimer's disease. In fact, Alzheimer's disease is clinically characterized by a decrease in acetylcholine levels. Don't forget to make dairy a part of your healthy diet.